For all of their scenic beauty and modern day accessibility, many of America‚Äôs highways have distinguished themselves as being deadly and dangerous. While many drivers today are blissfully unaware of these highways‚Äô reputations, the fact still remains that these roadways witness numerous accidents and deaths each year. Before heading out on your own American driving adventure, you may want to know which highways are among the most dangerous and exactly why they invite such devastation to so many motorists each year.

Interstate 10 in Arizona

A 150 mile highway that runs through from Phoenix to the border of neighboring California, Interstate 10 holds one of the top spots for being among the deadliest highways in America. Surrounding by lonely desert with sparsely populated towns located few and far between along this stretch of road, this highway sees more than 85 deaths and just as many non-fatal traffic accidents each year.

Interstate 45 in the Houston Metro Area

Highways located in busy metro settings are just as deadly, as is the case with Interstate 45. This roadway traverses through Harris County and the Houston metro area, often witnessing hectic driving conditions and frequent accidents each day. In fact, the Texas Department of Transportation reports that more than 3000 traffic accidents have occurred just since 2006. Of those 3000 wrecks, more than 1900 of them involved teen drivers, proving that this highway is particularly deadly for young and inexperienced drivers who are unused to busy urban traffic. Texas motorists and state visitors¬†injured in auto accident in San Antonio¬†or Houston, find out quickly the value of having a good car accident attorney on retainer after driving this busy stretch of road.

Highway 550 in Colorado

Highway 550 is a short, 25 mile highway that weaves and winds throughout southwestern Colorado. However, given the inhospitable weather conditions and the fact that this mountain road has few guardrails to keep drivers safe, this highway has earned itself a reputation of being deadly and dangerous.

Highway 2 in Montana

Another mountain highway that fails to roll out the welcome mat for visitors is Highway 2 in Montana. It too lacks guardrails to keep drivers safe from steep ditches and falling rockslides. It also has few gas stations or even little towns to seek refuge in case of a mechanical breakdown or wreck. It can take rescue responders more than 15 minutes to reach motorists who experience emergencies on this road.

U.S. 431 in Alabama

An old two-lane highway that runs for 98 miles through Dothan, U.S. 431 stands out in this state as one of the most dangerous roads to travel. With its old and outdated bridges, narrow traffic lanes, and isolated location, the highway has seen more than 20 traffic accident deaths in the last 10 years.

Dalton Highway in Alaska

Hardly a highway by conventional means, Dalton Highway in Alaska travels from Fairbanks all the way to the North Slope. It was built in 1974 as a roadway for oil workers and truck drivers who, by necessity, had to travel in this region‚Äôs harsh conditions to reach workers in the northern part of the state. It is now open to the public for travel; however, given its constant frozen conditions and the icy weather than ravages this road, only the bravest of drivers seem willing to drive on this highway.

These roads stand out as among the deadliest and most dangerous in America. Knowing where they are located and what dangers you could face can help you plan your transcontinental travel itinerary accordingly.

Freelance author, artist, auto-enthusiast and lover of the open road, Molly Pearce addresses the topics of travel, the law, and automobiles in her work. She shares this post to provide readers with valuable info on the state of U.S. roadways and what victims should do whether they are¬†injured in auto accident in San Antonio, Montana, or Alaska.